Rory-Gallagher-Statue, March 2025. Copright: pat
For 21 years, the international Rory Gallagher Festival in Ballyshannon has been one of the biggest blues events in Europe. It is also the lifebelt of the small community, where everything revolves around Rory and music. Numerous jobs in the community of 2,200 inhabitants and the surrounding region depend on it. However, the existence of the festival is now under threat. Requirements and costs are growing. Contrary to what one might assume, the festival is organised by a volunteer organisation, not a concert agency. Only the main groups on the central stage are ‘commercial’ each year. Dozens of concerts around it are free of charge – where else can you find that? If you have been before, or would like to go in the future, you might be able to spare 5 euros: the organisers are currently collecting money via GoFundMe for the first time.
